Razor stropping device



July 13, 1937. w. l. TYNDALLv ET AL RAZOR STROPPING DEVICE Filed July29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY July 13, 1937. w.`|.TYNDALL- ET Af. 2,087,172

RAZOR STROPPING DEVICE ATTOR N EY July 13, 1937. w. l. TYNDALL ET AL2,087,172

RAZOR sTRoPPING DEVICE Filed July 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYPatented July 13, 1937 iro sra Washington I. Tyndall and William E.Underwood, Wilson, N. C'.

Application `luly 29, 1935, Serial No. 33,790

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for stropping straight or hollowground razors such as barbers use. n

An object of the invention is to provide novel stro-pping members whichare annular in form and mounted excentrically on revoluble disks to moreeffectively strop the razor than hitherto possible.

A further object is to provide novel means for l0 regulating thepressure of the razor blade against the stropping members so that at thebeginning of the stropping operation the blade will be pressed lightlyagainst the stropping members alternately, the pressure graduallyincreasing as the stropping operation continues, and then graduallydecreasing to nearly zero at theend of the stropping operation whereby atrue edge is produced during the strapping operation in contrast to thedeformed or slightly turned over edge usually to be found where constanthigh pressure is used.

A further object is to provide novel means for locking the blade holderin a central 'position between the stropping disks at the end of thestropping operation so that the blade can be removed without damage tothe leather stropping members or to the blade and a new blade insertedwithout damage to the blade or stropping members. Y

A further object is to provide novel means for controlling the stroppingoperation to continue through a predetermined time. period so that whena single operating lever is pressed the motor controlling switch will bemanually closed and thereafter said mechanism will continue to operatethrough `the predetermined time period and then automatically open theswitch to deenergize the motor.

A further object is to provide a novel blade holder for supporting theblade at the back and on both sides so thatl both the back and the edgeof the blade may bear against the stropping member simultaneously as isthe case when hand stropping a razor.

A further object is to provide novel means for oscillating the bladeholder to apply the blade to the stropping members alternately Withoutshock or jar.

A further object is to provide a device of this 50 character which willbe inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out oforder.

With the above and other objects in view the inafter fully described andclaimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resortedto within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a razor stropping machine constructedin accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation with parts in section and parts removed toexpose the blade holder oscillating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.V

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of one part of the blade holder.

Figure 7 is a detail front elevation showing certain of the parts inlarger scale than in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing the eX- centrically mountedstropping disks.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure '7.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, Il) designates a baseplate which is equipped at the sides with standards II having bearingsI2 to receive the ends of a revoluble shaft I3. The shaft is preferablydriven by van electric motor I4 which is operatively connected to theshaft by a belt drivel I5.

A pair of disks I6, which may be formed of sheet metal or other lightstrong material, is iixed excentrically on the shaft near one endthereof, preferably each disk having a flanged hub Il which is securedto the disk by screws I8 or similar connectors and is secured to theshaft by a set screw I9 or similar connector. The opposed faces of thedisks are equipped with annular stropping members 20, formed of leatheror other suitable material and secured excentrically to the disk in anypreferred manner.

The razor blade holder comprises anV oscillatory shaft ZI the ends ofwhich are journaled in bearings 22 on the upper ends of a standard 23and a plate 3l' on the base plate. The shaft extends at a right angle tothe drive shaft I3. and is provided with an integral plate 24 which issubstantially oblong and is provided in the longitudinal edge with adepression or groove 25 which is arcuate in conto-ur to receive and toconform to the contour of the back 26 of a razor blade 21 of thestraight or hollow ground type used by barbers.

A pair of clamps 28, one of which is shown in Figure 6, is secured tothe side faces of the plate 24 and extend along the sides of the bladeand yieldably engage the blade. The clamps coact with the curved wall ofthe groove 25 in the plate to hold the blade in proper position betweenthe stropping disks so that the back and the edge of the blade will beheld against the stropping members just as is done when hand stropping arazor. Each clamp member 28 comprises a resilient bar having a leg 29 atone end which may be riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the plate-25 and having at the opposite end a substantially triangular web 39provided at the bottom with a tab 3l which may be riveted or otherwiserigidly secured to the plate 24. The contour of the inner edge of eachweb is substantially a duplicate of i the contour of the correspondingside and back o-f the razor and permits the razor blade being easilyguided longitudinally between the clamp bars 29.

The razor blade is oscillated by the shaft 2l and is engaged with theannular excentric stropping members alternately. For this purpose theshaft 2l is provided with an integral crank 22 which is provided with ap-in 33 having a roller 34 thereon. As best shown in Figure 3, a pair ofL shaped rocker arms 35 are pivoted, as shown at 35, near their elbowson a plate 31 which rises from the fro-nt -edge of the base plate. Eachrocker arm is equipped with a facing 38 of yielding material to engagethe roller 3G and to eliminate shock, jars and noise. The rocker armsare equipped with vertically disposed helical springs 39 which aresecured at the upper ends to adjusting screws 49 carried by horizontalbracket arms 4l which will be hereinafter more fully described. Thesprings tend constantly to swing the rocker arms and the crank 32 of theblade holder.

The rocker arms are alternately withdrawn from engagement with the crank32 so that the springs 39 impart oscillating movementto the shaft 2l andfor this purpose a worm pinion 42 is xed to the drivev shaft i3 andmeshes with a worm gear 43 on a shaft 4d, journaled in a tubular bearing45 carried by a bracket 46 on the base plate I0. A gear 41 on the shaftMl has a crank 48 to which one end'a pitman 39 is connected, theopposite end of the pitman being connected to a shift link `50 which ispivoted at the lower end, as shown at 5I, to the p-late 31 between therocker arms. The shift link is equipped at the upper end with a pin 5lhaving a roller 52 thereon to engage with the rocker arms alternatelyand remove each arm in turn from engagement with the crank 32 to permitthe spring 39 of the mating arm to rock the blade holder.

It is desirable that the tension of the spring be controlled so that therazor blade will bey pressed gently against the stropping members' atthe beginning of the stro-pping operation and Ythat this condition berepeated at the end of the stropping operation so that at the beginningthe blade will not be thrown with a slap against either stropping memberand at the end the blade will be stropped without pressure so that therewill be no danger of turning the edge of the blade as would be the casewith a maximum pressure exerted on the blade through the entirestropping operation. For this purpose the above mentioned bracket armsil are fixed to a U shaped frame comprising rods 53 which are connectedtogether at the bottom by across bar 54 and are slidably tted in tubularguides 55 carried by the plate 31.

The cross bar 5 is provided centrally with an upstanding lug 55. Aconnecting link 51 is pivoted at the lower end to the lug, as shown at53, and at the upper end is pivotally connected to one end of a longlever 59 which is fulcrumed, as shown at 69, on an arm El which projectsfrom the plate 31. The link 51 is provided with a slot 62 to receive apivot pin 63 which connects the lever to the link. The end of the lever59 projects beyond the side of the machine so as to be easily rockeddownwardly by pressure of the operators hand to raise the inner end ofthe lever and move the U shaped frame vertically from the position shownin Figure l to extend the springs and place them under tension, as shownin Figure 7. Y

As later described the control switch of the motor is automaticallyclosed as soon as the operator starts topush the lever 59 downward sothat the holder and blade begins to oscillate bef fore the tension ofthe springs has reached maximum. Thus the blade is pressed gentlyagainst the stropp-ing members at the beginning of the stroppingoperation, the pressure gradually increasing to maximum as the springsare tensioned to maximum extent during the nal stages of downwardmovement of the lever 59 by the operator. For decreasing the pressure ofthe springs gradually during the final stages of the stages of thestro-ppingoperation a slow motion transmitting mechanism is employed.

'I'he slow motion mechanism comprises a gear train designated in generalby the numeral 94, the initialY gear of which is driven by Ythe gear l1which carries the pitman L19. The final gear of the gear train carries apivoted spring pressed dog S5 which engages a ratchet gear 66 looselymounted on the shaft 61 of the nal gear of the gear train. A link 98 issWivelly mounted on the shaft 61, and is fixed integrally to the ratchetgear 95. The link is provided at the outer end with a pin 59 which ridesin an L shaped slot having a horizontal leg 10 and a vertical leg 1I,the slot being formed at thel outer end of the lever 69 in suchmanner'that `of the lever 59 under pressure of the operators hand thelink 53 will carry the ratchet gear 66 and at the limit of the downwardmovement of the lever the dog 65 locks the ratchet gear to the finalgear of the slow motion gear train. The motor having automaticallystarted during the initial downward movement of the outer end of thelever 59, the gear train will now permit the link 68 to swing'up slowly.During upward movement of the link 68 the pin 69 rides inwardly in thehorizontal leg' 10 of the L shaped slot. As the outer end of the leverrises the inner end is slowly pulled down by the spring 12 and moves theU shaped frame downwardly to gradually relieve the springs 39 oftension.

A vertically dis- ..f

This gradual release of tension of the springs 39 accomplishes a gradualdecrease of pressure of the blade upon the stropping members as thestropping operation progresses. Finallythe pin 6| reaches the inner endof the horizontal leg 1|) of the slot and drops sharply to the bottom ofthe vertical leg 1| of the slot to relieve the spring 39 of all tensionand to `simultaneously cut on" the actuating motor as will now bedescribed. k

By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that a stationary switchcontact 13 is mounted on the base Il). A movable switch Contact 14 ispivoted, as shown at 15, on an arm 16 rising from the base and is springpressed by a helical spring j 11 into engagement with the fixed switchcontact 13. A hook 18 is connected to the pivoted switch contact and hasthe upper end engaged over the upper edge of the lever 59. When theouter end of the lever 59 is pressed downwardly by the operated` thespring 11 closes the switch during the early stages of downward movementof the lever so that the razor blade is oscillated before maximumtension has been placed upon the springs 39. During final stages ofdownward movement of the outer end of the lever the hook 18 leaves thelever, as shown by dotted line but remains in the path of returnmovement of the lever so that at the movement the pin 69 drops into thevertical leg 1| of the L shaped slot in the lever the hook will beengaged with the lever to raise the movable switch contact and open theswitch to de-energize the motor.

It is desirable that the vblade holder 24 be brought to rest midwaybetween the stropping disks at the end of the stropping operation sothat the razor blade may be removed and another blade inserted withoutdamage to the stropping members or blade. For this purpose the crank arm32 of the blade holder is equipped with a pin 19 as best shown in Figure4. The pin projects through an arcuate slot 88 formed in the plate 31below the bearing 22 of the oscillating shaft 2|. The slot is concentricwith the shaft so that as the shaft osoillates the pin will movelaterally to the ends of the slot. A locking plate 8| is slidablymounted between vertical guides 82 disposed on the plate 31 and isprovided in the top edge with a notch 83, which is adapted to receivethe pin 19 when the latter is in central position with respect to bothstropping disks |6 and lock the blade holder in position midway betweenthe stropping members.

The locking plate 8| is lowered to release the pin 19 just prior toclosing of the switch to start the motor, and for this purpose a lever84 is pivoted on a lug 85 on the plate 31, as

, shown in Figure 9, one end of the link being bifurcated, as shown at8B, to receive a pin 81 which projects from the locking plate 8|. Theopposite end of the lever is provided with a lip 88 which projects intothe path of movement of a lug 89 formed on the bottom edge of the lever59, as best shown in Figure '1. A helical spring 9|] is terminallyconnected to the plate 31 and to the outer end of the link 84 and tendsconstantly toV hold. the link in position to hold the locking plate 8|withdrawn from the pin 19 and lodged against a stop pin 9| on the plate31.

When the outer end of the lever 59 is manually depressed the inner endof the lever is raised from the position shown in Figure 1 whereupon thelug 89 lifts from engagement with the lip 88 and permits the spring 98to rock the lever 84 and disengage the locking plate 88 from the pin 19,as shown in Figure 7. When the pin 99 drops to the bottom of thevertical leg 1| of the L shaped slot in the lever 59, the lug 89impinges against the lip 88 and rocks the lever 84 to slide the plate 8|upwardly in the guides 82 so that the notch 83 intercepts the pin 19 andbrings the blade holder to a stop midway between the stropping disks.

It will be observed that the annular excentric stropp-ing members 29have wiping Contact with the edge and back of the blade, as best shownin Figure 5, and during a complete revolution each stropping memberprogressively advances longitudinally of Ithe blade. The timing of theoscillatory movement of the blade holder relatively to the rotatingmovement of the stropping members is such that whenever the blade isIshifted from one stropping member to the other the blade will engage thestropping member at a point approximately 90 degrees beyond the pointwhere it initially engaged the stropping member on its. precedingencounter therewith. For example, during four engagementsy of the bladewith a stropping member, the first Contact of the stropping member maybe near the heel of the blade, the next near the center of the razorblade, as shown in Figure 4, the next beyond the center, and the nal atthe toe of the blade. The advantage of this is that the keen edge of theblade is not damaged as` is` the usual case where the stropping memberalways makes initial contact with the blade at the same point.

In operation the razor blade 21 is slid forwardly between the` clamps 28with the back of the razor bearing on the rounded surface of the holderuntil the heel of the blade is disposed beyond the guides 39. Theoperator now depresses the outer Iend of the lever which movementautomatically closes the motor controlling switch 14, disengages thelocking plate 8i from the pin 5| of the holder, and lifts the U shapedframe to place the springs 39 under tension.. The motor oscillates theblade holder, rotates the stropping disks, and moves the slow motiongear 34 to swing the link 68 upwardly slowly and permit the spring 12 topull down the inner end of the lever 59 slowly toI gradually decreasethe tension of the springs 39. Finally the pin 89 drops intothe verticalleg 1| of the L shaped slot in the lever. Thereupon, the lever underurge of the spring 12, opens the switch to shut oi the motor, anddepresses the lever 84 to engage the notch of the locking plate with thepin 19 of the blade holder so that the holder stops midway between thetwo stropping disks.

From the above description it is thought that the construction. andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A razor stropping device comprising a. pair of revolublle stroppingmembers, an oscillating blade holder projecting between the members,means for automatically `controlling oscillation of the blade holder togradually decrease the; pressure of the blade against the stroppingmembers during the nal stages of the stropping operation, and means forcontrolling the oscillation of the blade holder to gradually increasethe pressure of the blade against the stropping members during theinitial stages of the stropping operation.

'2. A razor stropping device comprising a pair Yg'ageable by the lockingplate Yto lock the holder` o-f revoluble stropping members, a pvotedblades stationary in position midway between the stropho'lderproject-ing between the members, osclping members at the end of thestropping op- Ylating means for rocking the blade holder, a eration.

5 Ymanually operable spring pressed lever, a lock- WASHINGTON I.TYNDALL.

ing plate operatively connected to be moved by WILLIAM E. UNDERWOOD. thelever, and a pin carried by the holder en-

